New Recipes

Book Deal

What a way to announce a great news during Chinese New Year, especially in the auspicious Golden Tiger Year.

It’s official! I have finalized a contract with Tuttle/Periplus Publishing Group to develop my very first cookbook—a Chinese recipe cookbook, scheduled to hit bookshelves in Fall 2011.

I consider myself extremely lucky. By chance, my editor discovered Rasa Malaysia and asked if I would be interested in authoring a cookbook. Caught by surprise, I fell out of my chair while saying “YES!”

Although I have been working on my cookbook for a few months, the contract negotiations were completed not too long ago. Upon receiving the signed contract from the publisher, I made an announcement on Twitter, my Facebook fanpages, and in the “From the Editor” section of Rasa Malaysia. Many readers offered their congratulations, to whom I offer my sincere thanks.

“Thank you” to my family, friends, fans, and fellow food bloggers who have been instrumental in the growth of Rasa Malaysia. None of this would have been possible without your continued support, and I look forward to your ongoing blessing and friendship. I can’t thank you enough for your kind assistance, generous advice, and encouragement.

Here are some of the common questions about the cookbook, as well as my answers…

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1) What will your cookbook contain?

The cookbook will contain 80 healthy and easy-to-prepare Chinese recipes, each accompanied by a full-color photograph. Some recipes will include step-by-step color photographs. I will be styling and photographing all photos in the cookbook (so now you know why I have been investing heavily in a new camera, gear, and props!). Special thanks to my friend Chef Danhi who loaned me his precious collections of props.

2) Why not a Malaysian recipe cookbook?

Because I am a first-time cookbook author, I need to establish myself by publishing a cookbook on mainstream Asian cuisine, thus my first book will be on Chinese recipes. In fact, Rasa Malaysia is as much a Chinese food blog as a Malaysian food blog. For Malaysian food lovers, I hope to next develop a Malaysian recipe cookbook.

3) How will your cookbook be different from other Chinese recipe cookbooks?

My Chinese recipes will be healthy and easy-to-prepare, while preserving their authenticity and remaining delicious. Recently I received an email from a reader who tried one of my Chinese recipes and insisted that it was the best he had ever tasted, better than that of the best Chinese restaurant in his city (a city full of renowned Chinese restaurants)! On top of offering popular Chinese recipes for such dishes as beef chow fun, stuffed crab claws, and multiple types of dim sum and dumplings, my cookbook will also include restaurant-style recipes not commonly found in Chinese cookbooks!

4) What is the title of your cookbook?

My editor and I have not decided on a title. If readers would like to suggest some titles, they should feel free to post a comment.

5) How can I be a recipe tester?

Once all 80 recipes are perfected, this blog will inform readers how to do so. I will definitely need your help, so please stay tuned.

6) What is the release date of your cookbook?

The cookbook is scheduled to hit shelves sometime in Fall 2011. While the exact date is not yet determined, when it is will be posted on this blog.

7) Will your cookbook be available outside the United States?

Yes! Tuttle/Periplus Publishing Group publishes and distributes worldwide so you should be able to get my cookbook in a book store near you!

Wow, I love the fried wontons picture, it’s definitely cookbook worthy and looks like a cookbook cover! I am sure your cookbook will be a hit. I have tried many of your recipes and they all work, and they are so easy. I have become a much better cook myself thanks to your blog, and yes I agree, your recipes are better than what I get at the Chinese takeouts here. Congratulations!

Kate, Alta – thanks for your kind comment about the photograph. I am personally very excited about the food photography in this cookbook. It’s going to be a completely different look, refined, and yes, cookbook worthy. It’s a very different style from my blog. :)

i’m so excited for you! congrats! i recently tried your lobster in cheese sauce recipe (first time trying your recipes) and it was delicious even when i skipped the deep frying part!! i made it for my family’s chinese new year’s dinner. a big thanks! i definitely look forward to your cookbook(s)!

will you be including many recipes that haven’t been published on your blog? otherwise there’s no motivation to buy it. keep us updated!

Bee, once that book hits the shelves, I will make sure all of my family and friends hit Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Borders, and every bookstore imaginable to pick up your book. I am always amazed at what you do and that photo on the cover is GORGEOUS!

Congratulations! It’s well deserved. :) You’re always the blog I turn to when it comes to Chinese/Malaysian food, and I’ve managed to satisfy many a craving when I’ve been far away from home thanks to your fantastic recipes.

good luck on the book, even if your techniques presented is pretty known culinary facts, i wish you luck with your sales and hope it will somewhat stand out from the crowds. Good to hear that you actually made a contract deal.

I want a copy of this book. I would love to learn easy recipes for Chinese food! It would be really neat to invited friends over for a nice Chinese dinner that I made all alone. Thanks for the great idea and the book.

Hi Bee, Greetings from Sydney! This is wonderful news indeed. It will solve the problem of buying gifts for friends for me. Am really looking forward to it. I have had amazing success with recipes from your blog and recommend it to friends all the time. And can’t wait for a Malaysian and Nyonya book to follow. Best wishes from me.

hope your recipe book have delicious and nice pictures. the price of your book is reaonable. the recipe will be simple and easy to cook. ingredient easy to get in the supermarket. hope to get email for free recipe too.

Congratulations Bee, I can’t think of a more deserving person than you to get a book deal out of all your hard work through the years.
Often when I need inspirations for Asian or Malaysian cooking, I’d know I can always drop by your blog to pick up a delicious recipe to make. Thank you for sharing you wonderful knowledge with all of us who love food and love making it for those around us. You will always have a fan and supporter in me from Australia!

OMG!congratulations!your very first cookbook..you remind me of Bree from Desperate Housewife :)from compiling recipes,then launch a cookbook then later have your on tv programme!..hehehehe..dream big!
Bree minus the ‘R’..way to go!